5x5 strong lift, cardio, deficit and logging.....help?

peeaanuut
peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So far I have been doing all cardio and following the calories. I rarely have eaten back my calories and my loss has been at a good steady pace. I sit at a desk all day but do the gym 5-6 times a week. So I should keep my settings at sedentary correct?

Stats are
5' 10" male 367lbs

With just a diet change and defecit I have done the weight loss and have a near goal of 350lbs to get my camera. But I started the stronglifts 5x5 last night. Actually I did 5 of the 6 exercises when I hsould have only done 3 but ill learn it eventually. Well, with that yesterday I ate above my calories by 383 putting me at 2683 eaten (MFP gives me 2300 at the 2lbs a week rate). Before I lifted I did a 5k on the bike and according to my HRM it says I did 286 calories. So i was still over by 97 calories. I worked out for just over an hour. I logged 30 minutes on the strength training for 250calories. Giving me 153 calories left.

So, I guess what I am asking is, should bother to log the strength training for calories and only eat back my cardio stuff, ooooor do I stil with what I have been doing which is dont eat back any of it? This lifting thing sort of has me confused as I know it will slow my losses, but I want that damn camera!!!! But honestly, what is going to be the best in the long run?
«1

Replies

  • mlnick69
    mlnick69 Posts: 84
    Calories burned are thought to be overestimated. Too many factors involved that are unique to each person. You will have to experiment and see what works for you. Maybe try to eat half of them back, track progress for a week or two and adjust if necessary.
  • ChrisLindsay9
    ChrisLindsay9 Posts: 837 Member
    Calories burned are thought to be overestimated. Too many factors involved that are unique to each person. You will have to experiment and see what works for you. Maybe try to eat half of them back, track progress for a week or two and adjust if necessary.
    I agree with this. Use the calories burned through strength training as a baseline and then adjust to fit your program and goals.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    You're probably over thinking this. For a guy your size 250 cals is within the margin of error. Log it, don't log it, eat it or not probably isn't going to have a huge effect. You're already doing the right things and moving in the right direction so choose a method, try it for a few weeks and adjust if needed.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    You're probably over thinking this. For a guy your size 250 cals is within the margin of error. Log it, don't log it, eat it or not probably isn't going to have a huge effect. You're already doing the right things and moving in the right direction so choose a method, try it for a few weeks and adjust if needed.

    Do this. Adjust according to actual results, calculations of BMR and TDEE and exercise calories are just that - calculations. It's a good starting point and guideline but actual results are what counts.
  • peeaanuut
    peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
    I think I am going to try this out.

    I will be doing some cardio after each lift day so I dont plan to log any calories for lifting and only calories for cardio. On those days I will attempt to eat back my calories. On the off lift days I will be doing some cardio with a full rest day tossed in for good measure and on those days I wont eat back my calories. Ill give it a week and see how things go then adjust accordingly.

    Thanks for the help!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    I'd go several weeks before making changes. Give it a chance to work
  • peeaanuut
    peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
    did my first real day on sunday. Walked a mile after that as well. So overall it was good. I did not log the calories for lifting but logged the walking calories. Overall It was good. Bummer was that I had a group training class today and we did some back work on the TRX machine so it worked my back more after the barbell rows yesterday. Oh well, its soreness, guess thats why I dont have to do them tomorrow.

    On to the next one tomorrow, cant wait to see how that goes.
  • peeaanuut
    peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
    and its doing the exact thing I feared it would do. My weight is going the wrong way. Gained 7 lbs since saturday. A whole months worth of work is down the drain. I think im over this lifting crap.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    seven whole days?

    ofM7TcC.gif
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    and its doing the exact thing I feared it would do. My weight is going the wrong way. Gained 7 lbs since saturday. A whole months worth of work is down the drain. I think im over this lifting crap.

    Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    and its doing the exact thing I feared it would do. My weight is going the wrong way. Gained 7 lbs since saturday. A whole months worth of work is down the drain. I think im over this lifting crap.

    Did you eat 24,500 calories in surplus? Then it's not fat gain, it's water weight. Give it more than a week before you throw in the towel.
  • peeaanuut
    peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
    ok fine, make fun of me if you want, but im seriously wonder whats going on here? Why would I gain 7 lbs in a week? If I am at a deficit, why am I gaining? If you dont have an answer just say so.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    and its doing the exact thing I feared it would do. My weight is going the wrong way. Gained 7 lbs since saturday. A whole months worth of work is down the drain. I think im over this lifting crap.

    Weight fluctuates and lifting causes water retention for muscle repair at first. It took about a month for the pounds of water weight to go away after I started lifting and it still comes back if I have an extra hard workout. You'll be a lot happier if you realize that weight loss is not going to be linear.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    ok fine, make fun of me if you want, but im seriously wonder whats going on here? Why would I gain 7 lbs in a week? If I am at a deficit, why am I gaining? If you dont have an answer just say so.

    Look up glycogen retention after lifting
  • princesstoadstool82
    princesstoadstool82 Posts: 371 Member
    When lifting... your preserving muscle and burning off fat... go with tape measure... not scales...
  • peeaanuut
    peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
    I know its not linear. I have already stated that I know its not, but this is a significant gain in 5 days. Its a months worth of weight loss for me and its frustrating.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    You JUST started Strong lifts. Just don't even bother with the scale. Its going to skyrocket wile your body adjusts and you get a lot of water retention.

    I don't log my lifting.. well I do. I made some strong lifts 5x5a and strong lifts 5x5b for 1 calorie. Just to track when I did it.

    I'm not doing that program anymore, so I just have a beast mode for 69 calories.

    I log my runs because its synced up with endomodo. This whole thing has the potential to slide into mass confusion and not knowing what to eat. Just try to eat like you have been and maybe throw in some extra protein on lifting days.

    Oh, congrats on becoming a super bad *kitten* now.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    I know its not linear. I have already stated that I know its not, but this is a significant gain in 5 days. Its a months worth of weight loss for me and its frustrating.

    If you know it's not linear than you should also know that the gain doesn't mean you've somehow lost the work you put in for the past month.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    ok fine, make fun of me if you want, but im seriously wonder whats going on here? Why would I gain 7 lbs in a week? If I am at a deficit, why am I gaining? If you dont have an answer just say so.

    After starting a new program or increasing intensity your muscle will retain water to protect them and aid in recovery. Once you get use to the new routine they will shed the majority of this excess water. I would refrain from stepping on the scale for 2-3 weeks for this reason, unless you don't mind seeing the number climb.

    OP don't stop lifting. Lifting while in a deficit will help you retain the muscle you already have, and since you are new and overweight you may actually be able to gain a small amount of muscle. If you don't lift then a larger % of your weight loss will come from lean muscle then at your goal weight you will have a higher BF% than you would have had, had you lifted the entire time.
  • peeaanuut
    peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
    is there anything I can do about the water retention other than drinking lots of water?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    is there anything I can do about the water retention other than drinking lots of water?

    My suggestion would be to not worry about it and stay off the scale for a few weeks.
  • rsimoneau1
    rsimoneau1 Posts: 35 Member
    I know its not linear. I have already stated that I know its not, but this is a significant gain in 5 days. Its a months worth of weight loss for me and its frustrating.

    Check your sodium intake.

    Relax. I can gain 10 pounds over a weekend, but its gone and then some by Friday.

    Let it roll a few weeks. I started heavy lifting recently, and my weight is just hanging out above my max loss. I have water retention as well, but it's not concerning me at this point.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    is there anything I can do about the water retention other than drinking lots of water?

    It's water, not fat. Stop being such a slave to the scale
  • Four_Leaf_Clover
    Four_Leaf_Clover Posts: 332 Member
    avoid high sodium levels and keep drinking - it will come off
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    is there anything I can do about the water retention other than drinking lots of water?

    Why do you care? Do you have to weigh in for a wrestling or boxing match or something? If you didn't gain 7lbs of fat then you haven't reversed a month's worth of weight loss. If anything, the extra water retention in your muscles gives them a larger appearance, improving your aesthetics.
  • peeaanuut
    peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
    is there anything I can do about the water retention other than drinking lots of water?

    Why do you care? Do you have to weigh in for a wrestling or boxing match or something? If you didn't gain 7lbs of fat then you haven't reversed a month's worth of weight loss. If anything, the extra water retention in your muscles gives them a larger appearance, improving your aesthetics.

    i care because I cannot see any other results. measurements havent changed. Even after losing the 30lbs before starting the weights my measurements havent changed. The scale has been the only number to change. So now that that is going in the wrong direction, I have no other matrix to mark improvement.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    is there anything I can do about the water retention other than drinking lots of water?

    Why do you care? Do you have to weigh in for a wrestling or boxing match or something? If you didn't gain 7lbs of fat then you haven't reversed a month's worth of weight loss. If anything, the extra water retention in your muscles gives them a larger appearance, improving your aesthetics.

    i care because I cannot see any other results. measurements havent changed. Even after losing the 30lbs before starting the weights my measurements havent changed. The scale has been the only number to change. So now that that is going in the wrong direction, I have no other matrix to mark improvement.

    How much are you eating per day?

    How confident are you that the number is accurate?
  • peeaanuut
    peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
    MFP puts me at 2260 for food. I am pretty confident it is correct as I have been weighing everything. I might even been slightly overestimating on some stuff but only by a small bit. I would say I am +/- 150 calories as far as accurate. I don't log any weight lifting calories, only cardio. I try to stay around that range but some days when my cardio is more intense I end up with about 1000 calories net left over.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    ok fine, make fun of me if you want, but im seriously wonder whats going on here? Why would I gain 7 lbs in a week? If I am at a deficit, why am I gaining? If you dont have an answer just say so.

    Water. Muscles need water to repair themselves. After they repair themselves, you get stronger and they shed the water. No one's making fun though some are less than impressed with your dedication to following a routine that takes far longer than a week to see results.

    Anything worth doing takes longer than a week. Good luck.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    MFP puts me at 2260 for food. I am pretty confident it is correct as I have been weighing everything. I might even been slightly overestimating on some stuff but only by a small bit. I would say I am +/- 150 calories as far as accurate. I don't log any weight lifting calories, only cardio. I try to stay around that range but some days when my cardio is more intense I end up with about 1000 calories net left over.

    How much do you burn daily?

    At 370, 2300 cals would definitely have you losing.

Categories